The Stanford Outdoor Outreach Program (SOOP) is a Stanford student-run club whose mission is to enhance interpersonal relationships, foster community, and instill personal confidence in San Francisco Bay Area youth through facilitated outdoor experiences. We lead hiking, camping, backpacking, and rock climbing trips for high school students at East Palo Alto Academy in East Palo Alto, and Luiz Valdez Leadership Academy in San Jose. Of the 500 students we work with each year, 99 percent of our participants are Latino and African American and 93 percent qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

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I love SOOP because it helps make the outdoors more accessible for individuals who hail from backgrounds that are typically not represented in the outdoor space. As a trip leader, I always strive to foster community, provide mentorship, and teach students how to live and lead in the outdoors. During these trips, I am also grateful to learn something new from these students and experience the beauty of California.   

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For more information about SOOP, please click here.